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The Y-Brush returns: We tried out the 10-second toothbrush and it really works

The strange-looking toothbrush promises a super short brush time. You can now buy one for $125.

Patrick Holland Managing Editor
Patrick Holland has been a phone reviewer for CNET since 2016. He is a former theater director who occasionally makes short films. Patrick has an eye for photography and a passion for everything mobile. He is a colorful raconteur who will guide you through the ever-changing, fast-paced world of phones, especially the iPhone and iOS. He used to co-host CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast and interviewed guests like Jeff Goldblum, Alfre Woodard, Stephen Merchant, Sam Jay, Edgar Wright and Roy Wood Jr.
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  • Patrick's play The Cowboy is included in the Best American Short Plays 2011-12 anthology. He co-wrote and starred in the short film Baden Krunk that won the Best Wisconsin Short Film award at the Milwaukee Short Film Festival.
Patrick Holland
2 min read

Last year, the Y-Brush promised nothing short of a potential dental miracle. The strange looking toothbrush was designed to clean all of your teeth in just 10 seconds. Now a year later at CES, the 10-second toothbrush is back in its final form, and this time you can actually buy one. And that's good news because in the landscape of "tech toothbrushes" the Y-Brush offers something that Oral-B and Colgate don't: efficiency.

The French company FasTeesH sought to reimagine how we brush our teeth. Instead of moving the small head of a regular toothbrush from tooth-to-tooth over the course of 2 minutes, the company's Y-Brush cleans half your mouth in 5 seconds. I know, a record skip can be heard at dental offices across the land. Watch the video below to see me try the Y-Brush out at CES.

The Y-Brush resembles a sports mouthguard packed with nylon bristles. The motor inside the small trapezoid-shaped handle vibrates to clean all your teeth at once on the top or bottom of your mouth.

And what does that efficiency cost you? The Y-Brush costs $125. For comparison, Colgate's smart electric toothbrush costs $100 and Oral-B's Bluetooth equipped Genius Pro 8000 toothbrush costs $180. You can order the Y-Brush online but it won't ship until March.

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The nylon bristles are positioned at 45-degree angles which is what the ADA recommends for holding your toothbrush against your gums.

Angela Lang/CNET

The unique toothbrush has been tested in-vitro as well as with a research panel of 3,000 consumers. The Y-Brush will undergo a clinical study in France over the coming months. While the Y-Brush is changing the way you brush your teeth, you still need to floss regularly.

Y-Brush doesn't look like an ordinary toothbrush

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All the cool new gadgets at CES 2020

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Originally published earlier this week.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.